Gripping device



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 GRIPPING DEVICE Filed Feb. 27, 1939 J. W. BRINTNALL Aug 25, 1942.

l-I I INVENTOR Jo/wv Win/7&4?

' BY ,4 2 a v J ATTORNEYS 1942- J. w. BRINTNALL 2,293,885

' GRIPPING DEVICE Filed Feb. 2'/, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W m ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 25, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GRIPPING DEVICE John W. Brintnall, Alameda, Calif.

I Application February 27, 1939, Serial No. 258,664

Claims.

The invention relates to gripping devices of relatively wide application and arranged for attachment to various members such as mop handles, broom handles, pipes, shafts, etc.

An object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described which may be quickly and readily applied to exterior or interior annular surfaces, particularly of elongated members such as poles, pipes, shafts, cylinders or the like, and including those formed in crosssection of either arcuate, curved or polygonal form.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described which may be used as a clamp on a member as above for securing various means to the member such as mop heads, brushes, brooms and extensions therefor, or may be used for grasping members of the character described for movement thereof by pulling, hoisting, pushing and the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide a gripping device of the above character which may be-constructed of a minimum number of sturdily formed parts, whereby the device will have a substantially unlimited long life of usefulness and the operation thereof will be substantially positive and fool-proof.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawings and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to said drawings:

Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view taken at one end of a gripping device constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device taken substantially on the plane of line 2-2 of Figure 1. V

Figure 3 is alongitudinal sectional view of the device taken at right angles to Figure 2 and on the plane of line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the plane of line 4-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a modified form of the device.

Figure 6 is alongitudinalsectional view of .the device illustrated .in Figure .5 and is taken sub- Figure 7 is an end view of the device shown in Figures 5 and 6.

The gripping device of the present invention consists briefly of an elongated member which is formed for telescopic positioning relative to either an internal or external annular or perimetric surface to be gripped and is provided with one or a plurality of longitudinally-tapered guides which slidably carry one or more gripping elements which upon movement longitudinally of the member are brought into .a wedged engage- .ment with the annular surface to be gripped.

The device may be embodied in various modifications, as herein disclosed, wherein such slidable gripping members may be resiliently urged into a gripping position or maybe connected for joint movement into and from a gripping position, and various constructions may be used for preventing rotation of the gripping members relative to the guides and further, the taper of the guides may be so arranged, as for instance at such a slight inclination, as .to enable a substantially positive locking of the device on the surface. Also the sliding members may themselves be formed in a manner, e. g. as by roughening or .serrating, to provide an additive gripping of the surface in addition to the :normal movement thereof against the surface due to the tapering of the guides.

In the preferred form .of the invention, as depicted in the drawings in Figures 1 to 4, the gripping member H, is of elongated form and composed of a pair of end members I2 and :I3 and a plurality of longitudinal elements I4, IE, I! and I8 which are fastened at their opposite ends to the end pieces 12 and 1:3 to provide a rigid structure. The end pieces i2 and iii are here in the form .of substantially fiat plate rings or annuli .formed'with aligned centrally disposed open portions 19 .and;2.l which are adapted to fit arounda cylindricalor other annularor perimetric face 22, indicated in dotted .lines on Figures 1 to 4. Slidably mountedon the longitudinal elements i l, l6, l1 and 18 area plurality .of gripping members :23, 24,26and 2:7 whichare adapted for engagement with an external annular or perimetric surface such as the surface '22 here shown, or with an internal annular .orperimetric surfacev surrounding the device and as indicated by dotted lines :28 in Figures x1 to 4. Eachofthe on the longitudinal elements and preferablyiand as here shown, the elementsand :the .bore129 .are

stantially on the p'laneof line 6-6 .of :Figure 5,. of non-circular cross-section so .as .to hold the gripping members against rotation on the elements. Each of the gripping members is formed at the inner end thereof with a pair of angularly related jaw faces 3I and 32 which are adapted to tangentially engage a cylindrical surface while the opposite or outer end 33 of the member is preferably of curved cross-section so as to best fit against an internal cylindrical or annular surface.

In accordance with the present invention the gripping members are moved into a wedged position against either an internal or external annular surface by arranging the longitudinal elements in longitudinally tapered form, whereby the members 23, 24, 2B and 21 will be displaced radially as the same are moved longitudinally on the guides. In the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, the longitudinal guides I6 and I8 are tapered toward the end I2, While guides I4 and II are tapered towards end I3. Thus upon positioning of the device around the annular surface 22, the gripping members 24 and 21 will be wedged against the surface 22 as the same are moved towards the end I2 of the device, while the other set of gripping members 23 and 26 will be wedged against the surface 22 upon movement towards the end I3 of the device. On the other hand, upon insertion of the device into an interior annular surface such as 28, the members 24 and 21 will be wedged against the surface upon movement towards the end I3 of the device, while the other set of gripping members 23 and 26 will be wedged against surface 28 upon movement towards end I2 of the device. As an important feature of this form of the invention the device may be positively locked on an annular surface of the character above against movement of the device in either of its endwise directions of movement, for a movement in one endwise direction will cause a further wedging of one pair of the gripping members, while a movement in an opposite endwise direction will cause a further wedging of the other pair of gripping members. If desired, the jaw faces 3| and 32 as well as the surfaces 33, may be serrated or otherwise roughened to afford a better gripping action.

In the form of the invention here depicted, I have shown an end cross-piece 34 which is secured to the device adjacent to the end member I2 and is adapted to engage an end surface of a mop stick or the like for holding a mop head in place. The cross-piece 34 may be pivotally secured to the device so that the same may be moved into and out of position for accommodating the device to various uses and as here shown, the cross-piece 34 is pivotally secured to the assembly at one end 35 of the cross-piece and is detachably secured at its other end 40.

A modified form of the invention has been illustrated in Figures and 6, wherein all of the longitudinal guides 31 are tapered towards one end I2 of the device and diverge towards the opposite end I3. Also in this form of the invention the longitudinal guides are formed of pairs of longitudinal wires 38 and 39 which are slidably received in a pair of openings 4| and 42 in the plurality of sliding gripping members 43 to thereby hold such members against rotation relative to the guide. Also the several gripping members 43 are provided with a slotted portion 44 opening to the outer surface 46 of the members, in which is carried an annular ring 41 for holding the several sliding members for joint longitudinal movement. In this manner the several sliding members move together longitudinally. and retain the device substantially centered with respect to the surface to be gripped. In this form of the invention the ends I2 and I3 are preferably provided with aligned openings so as to permit the positioning of the device around an external surface 22 and at the same time the device may be inserted within an internal annular or perimetric surface 28, as in the first embodiment. This form of the device may be used for the several purposes outlined in connection with the preferred embodiment and has an additional advantage in enabling an automatic attachment of the device to a surface to be gripped. For example, the device may be inserted into a pipe 28 or the like or over a stick or shaft 22' or the like and will when withdrawn operate to move the members 43 to a wedged position against such surface to thereby securely attach the device to the surface to permit movement of the pipe or shaft or the like, such as by pulling, hoisting, pushing, etc. To thus attach the device to an external annular surface 22, the device is moved over the surface with the end I2 in advance of the end I3. As the movement is reversed, the members 43 will be frictionally held against surface 22 while the guides 31 move through the openings M and 42 to draw the members 43 tightly against the surface 22'. As soon as themembers are fully wedged against the surface, no further relative movement of the device and the member 22 can be effected and the member 22 forcibly moved upon forced movement of the device. If desired, a crosspiece 48 may be attached to the end I3 for the ready attachment to such cross-piece of a rope or cable or the like. The cross-piece is preferably pivotally secured to the end piece I3 so that the same may be moved into and out of an operative connection therewith. On the otherhand, the device may be automatically attached to the inner surface of a pipe 28 or the like by inserting the device into the pipe with the end I3 in advance of the end I2. Upon removing the device the divergence of the guides 31 will force the members 43 against the internal surface of the pipe or the like to thereby securely fasten the device to the pipe. If desired, a cross-piece 49 may be suitably attached to the device adjacent the end I2 for attachment to the device of a rope or cable or the like, and as in the case of the cross-piece 48, is preferably pivotally or detachably secured for movement into and from an operative position. Either crosspiece 48 or 49 may also be used for the holding of a mop head or the like as described in connection with the first embodiment.

While I have selected modified forms for disclosing the various features of the present invention, it will be clear that the various features may be variously combined in forms other than here disclosed.

The term annular or perimetric surface is used herein and in the appended claims in a generic sense including all .circumscribing surfaces of all forms and shapes whether round, or otherwise curved, or polygonal in character.

I claim:

1. A gripping device of the character described comprising, a hollow elongated member adapted for fitting around or insertion within a cylindrical surface to be gripped, a plurality of longitudinal guides inclined to the longitudinal axis of the member, and a plurality of members slidably mounted on said guides and of sufficient longitudinal positions of said second members whereby said work engaging portions are adapted for gripping said cylindrical surface.

2. A gripping device of the character described comprising, a pair of end rings, a plurality of longitudinal elements fastened to said rings and being inclined longitudinally towards one of said end rings, and a gripping member slidably mounted on each of said elements, each of said elements and associated member having a noncircular interfit to prevent rotation of said member on said element.

3. A gripping device of the character described comprising, a pair of end rings, a plurality of longitudinal elements fastened to said rings and being inclined longitudinally towards one of said end rings, and a plurality of members slidably mounted on said elements and adapted for wedging against a surface to be gripped, each of said members engaging a plurality of said elements to prevent rotation of said members relative to said elements.

4. A gripping device of the character described comprising, an elongated member adapted for telescopic positioning relative to a surface to be gripped, a plurality of longitudinal guides on said member inclined longitudinally towards one end of said member, a plurality of longitudinal guides on said member spaced circumferentially from said first guides and inclined longitudinally to wards an opposite end of said member, and a plurality of gripping members slidably mounted on said guides and adapted for wedging against said surface.

5. A gripping device of the character described comprising, an elongated member adapted for telescopic positioning relative to a surface to be gripped, a plurality of longitudinal guides on said member inclined longitudinally towards one end of said member, a plurality of gripping members slidably mounted on said guides and adapted for wedging against said surface and formed with transversely aligned recesses in the periphery thereof, and a ring member mounted in said recess for connecting said gripping members and providing for a joint endwise movement thereof of said guides.

JOHN W. BRINTNALL. 

